Number of foreigners in UK at record high

The number of foreigners living in the UK hit a record high last year, figures revealed yesterday.

There are 6.7 million people who were born overseas living in Britain - one in eleven of the total population - the Office for National Statistics said.

Its annual overview of official population figures also showed the extent of the "Immigrant Baby Boom" affecting the country.

Nearly a quarter of all births in England and Wales last year were to foreign born mothers - a record high. They made up 170,834 out of the total of 708,711.

Immigrants from Eastern European countries living in the UK had 25,000 children last year, the figures showed.

The ONS estimates the population will increase by nearly ten million in the next 25 years.

By 2033 there will be 71.6 million people living Britain, up from 61.4 million now, the figures showed.

The increase is nearly double that seen in the previous quarter century. Since 1983 the population has increased by nine per cent from 56.3 million.

Despite claims the recession could lead to a dramatic drop in new arrivals, the ONS points to data from previous recessions suggesting that is unlikely.

The ONS cited separate research from the last three decades indicating immigration will fall for a short time, but return to pre-recession levels with the economy. The slowdown could also mean fewer new arrivals going home.

"A short-term period of falling immigration can be expected, before immigration levels rise again to pre-recession levels," the report said.

"Moreover, after an initial short burst of increased emigration, the report concluded that there is likely to be a period of decreased emigration of both British and non-British nationals."

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said: "This country's liberal attitude towards immigration is being threatened by this Government's catastrophic mismanagement of the system.

"It is difficult for anyone to accurately forecast the population now, let alone in 30 years, after Labour and the Tories abandoned exit checks. We cannot know how many people live here if we do not count people out as well as in.

"Some parts of the country, like Scotland, need and want more population while others, like the South East, are at the limit of environmental sustainability."

Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said: "These population projections do not take into account the impact of future government policies or those Eastern Europeans who came here, contributed, and are now going home.

"Projections are uncertain. For instance in the 1960s they said our population would reach 76 million by the year 2000. This was off target by 16 million.

"And let's be clear the category 'foreign born mothers' includes British people born overseas - such as children whose parents are in the armed forces or those who come to Britain at a very early age.

"Overall, net-migration is falling, showing that migrants come to the UK for short periods of time, work, contribute to the economy and then return home."